Roof construction



July 17, 1956 J. F. BLASKI 2,754,776

ROOF CONSTRUCTION Filed July 11, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 ii? 1 106 m4 IN V EN TOR.

5%44. Cafe/788915 July 17, 1956 F, BLASK] 2,754,776

ROOF CONSTRUCTION Filed July 11, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

lunllunuunu I BY da /Q? United States Patent ROOF CONSTRUCTION John F. Blaski, Des Plaines, Ill.

Application July 11, 1951, Serial No. 236,255

3 Claims. (Cl. 10813) The present invention relates to roof constructions, more particularly to roof constructions employing sheet metal roof deck plates which may be assembled without the use of nails, screws, bolts or the like, and the invention has for an object the provision of a roof construction of this character which is economical to manufacture, the parts thereof are easy to handle and ship, and may be quickly assembled, and which provides greater strength and more ruggedness than conventional arrangements which are considerably more expensive.

In many instances a deck-type roof construction is re quired wherein an essentially flat roof deck, which usually comprises wooden sheeting or the like, is covered by suitable layers of insulating board, asphalt, and roofing gravel. Certain arrangements heretofore proposed have employed sheet metal roof constructions wherein sheet metal shingles are secured to the supporting rafters by suitable fastening devices such as flexible clips and the like. While these arrangements are in general suitable for their intended purpose, certain objections thereto have been encountered from the standpoint of the time consumed in assembling the component parts of the roof construction and from the standpoint of the rigidity and ruggedness of the final structure. Of particular concern is the provision of a suitable securing means which will provide a rigid connection between the deck plates. Accordingly, it is another object of the present invention to provide a new and improved metal roof construction wherein sheet metal deck plates may be simply and quickly secured to supporting roof purlins and wherein the metal roof deck plates are securely held down at the ends and at spaced points along the sides thereof.

Briefly, in accordance with one phase of the invention, there is provided a plurality of hollow elongated roof purlins supported in spaced parallel relationship, each of said purlins having a longitudinal opening in the top wall thereof and an inturned locking flange adjacent said opening. A plurality of corrugated sheet metal roof deck plates, preferably of a length at least as great as the space between two of the purlins, are positioned on the top walls of the purlins with the sides thereof in staggered overlapping relation. A plurality of elongated locking strips are provided, each of which has a substantially T-shaped cross-section and comprises a head portion and a web portion having an upturned bot tom edge portion, said upturned edge portion being narrower than the top openings in said roof purlins and spaced from said head portion by an amount equal to the height of the inturned locking flange thereof so that the locking strips may be inserted into the top openings of the purlins from the top, hooked over the locking flange thereof, and slid along the flange to position the web portion of the locking strip between the ends of adjacent ones of the roof deck plates with the head portion thereof holding down the end portions of the plates. The locking strips are preferably of a length not greater than the exposed width of said roof deck plates whereby said deck plates may be positioned in staggered rows and ice secured to the purlins at spaced points along the periphery thereof.

For a more complete understanding of the invention, reference should now be had to the drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a top plan View of a partially completed sheet metal deck plate roof construction embodying the features of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view taken along the line 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view taken along the line 3-3 of Fig. l; and

Fig. 4 is a perspective fragmentary view on a some what larger scale of the roof construction of Fig. 1 illustrating the manner in which successive deck plates are assembled.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, the sheet metal deck plate roof construction of the present invention comprises a plurality of horizontally extending roof supports or purlins 10, individual ones of which are indicated as the purlins 10a, 10b, etc., which are supported in spaced parallel relation on a plurality of transversely extending I-beams 11. The purlins 10 may be secured to their supporting I-beams 11 by any suitable means such as welding, brazing, or the like, and all of the purlins ltla, 10b, etc., are of the same height to provide a flat surface for the roof proper.

As clearly shown in Fig. 2, the purlins, 'such as the purlin ltlc, are constructed of sheet metal and are of substantially rectangular cross-section. Each of the purlins, such as the purlin 10c, is provided with a longitudinal opening 12 in the top wall thereof and the edges of the top wall are inturned to provide locking flanges l3 and 14 which extend inwardly adjacent the opening 12.

A plurality of sheet metal roof deck plates 15, individual ones of which are indicated as the roof deck plates 15a, 1512, etc., are positioned on the top walls of the purlins it). As clearly shown in Figs. 3 and 4, the roof deck plates 15 are preferably corrugated to provide relatively wide horizontal portions 16 separated by the narrow trough portions 17. In order to provide a continuous roof covering the sheet metal roof deck plates 15 are positioned on the supporting purlins 10 in staggered overlapping relation. Thus, as shown in Fig. 3, the sides of the roof deck plates 15 are overlapped by nesting the outermost troughs 17 thereof.

In order to secure the ends of the roof deck plates 15 to the supporting purlins 10, a plurality of elongated locking strips 25 are provided, individual ones of which are indicated as the locking strips 25a, 2512, etc., and which are of substantially T-shaped cross-section, as clearly shown in Fig. 4. More particularly, each of the locking strips 25 is of substantially T-shaped cross-section and comprises a transverse head portion 26 and a vertically extending web portion 27, the web portion 27 having an upturned bottom edge portion 28 which is narrower than the top opening 12 in the purlin iii and which is adapted to be inserted into the top opening 12 and hooked around one of the locking flanges 13 or 14 of the purlin it) for sliding movement therealong. As clearly shown in Pig. 4, when the locking strip 25 is inserted into the top opening 12 of the purlin 1t? and hooked around the locking flange 13, transverse head portion 26 of the locking strip 25 is positioned above the top wall of the purlin by an amount sufficient to permit the insertion of the ends of adjacent deck plates under each arm thereof so that the adjacent ends of two abutting deck plates are held down and firmly seated upon the top wall of the corresponding roof purlin. It will be noted that the web portion 27 of the locking strip 25 may be inserted endwise into the top opening 12 of the purlin 10 in the event that the purlin is provided with open ends. However, the locking strips 25 are preferably constructed so that they may be inserted downwardly into the top opening 12 of the purlin 1t and hooked over the locking flange 13 to permit rapid assembly of the parts as described in more detail hereinafter.

In order to provide for insertion of the locking strips 25 directly into the purlin the upper edge of the upturned bottom edge portion 28 of the locking strip 25 is spaced from the transverse head portion 26 by an amount equal to or greater than the height of the inturned locking flange 13, and the width of the upturned bottom edge portion of the locking strip 23 is narrower than the opening 12 so that the locking strip may be inserted directly into the top opening 12, moved sideways, and pulled upwardly to hook the edge portion 28 over the flange 13 in which position the locking strip 25 may be slid along the purlin 10 so as to position the web portion 7.7 thereof between the ends of adjacent roof deck plates 15 with the head portion 26 thereof acting as a hold-down member for the end portions of adjacent roof deck plates.

The corrugated sheet metal roof deck plates 15 when assembled in the manner described above, provide a suitable deck-type roof which may support any suitable roof covering. For example, a layer of insulating board of any suitable type may be placed over the roof deck plates 15 after they have been assembled in the manner to be described in more detail hereinafter, and a layer 21 of asphalt or tar and roofing gravel may be employed to cover the insulating board 20 and provide a weatherproof roof covering.

Considering now the manner in which the roof deck plates 15 are secured in staggered overlapping relation upon the top walls of the purlins 10, these plates are preferably assembled by first positioning a first row of roof deck plates, including the deck plates 15a, 15b, and 15c, upon the supporting purlins 10a, 10b, etc., with the edges of the deck plates 15a, 15b, and 150 adjacent the top openings 12 in the purlins 10. The locking strips 25a and 2512 are then inserted into the top openings 12 of their respective purlins in the manner described above at points beyond the edges of the roof deck plates 15a, 15b, and 15c, and these locking strips 25a and 2512 are then slid along the locking flanges 13 until the head portions 26 thereof are positioned over the adjacent ends of the roof deck plates 15a, 15b, and 150. The locking strips 25a and 25b are slid beyond the near edge of the roofing plates 15a, 15b, and 150, by an amount sutficient to expose the first trough thereof and the next row of roof deck plates, including the deck plates 15d, 15c, and 15 are overlapped by nesting the trough portions thereof as clearly shown in Fig. 3. Preferably the second row of roof deck plates, including the deck plates 15d, 152 and 15 is staggered relative to the first row of deck plates. Thus, the deck plate 15d straddles the purlin Illa and overlaps the adjacent side portions of the deck plates 15a and 15b. Likewise, the deck plate 15a straddles the purlin 10c and overlaps the adjacent portions of the deck plates 15b and 150. The locking strips 250 and 25d are then inserted into the top openings 12 of the purlins 10b and 10d, respectively, are hooked over the locking flanges thereof, and are slid along the purlins until the end portions of the adjacent deck plates 15d, 152, and 15f are securely held down upon the top wall of the purlins 10b and 10d. In an entirely similar manner the next succeeding row of deck plates, including the plates 15g, 15h, and 151' are staggered relative to the preceding row of plates and are overlapped by nesting the outermost trough portion thereof, and locking strips, such as the locking strips 256 and 25], are inserted into the corresponding purlins 10c and 10a and slid along these purlins to engage and hold down the edge portions of the adjacent deck plates 15g, 15h, and 15i.

It will be noted that the locking strips 25 are of a length substantially equal to the exposed width of the overlapped roof deck plates 15. With this arrangement it is merely necessary to slide the locking strips 25 along their respective purlins until the overlapping roof deck plate of the preceding row is encountered, at which point the locking strip is correctly positioned. Thus, considering the insertion of the locking strip 250, this strip is slid along the purlin 10b and between the abutting ends of the deck plates 15d and 152 until it strikes the overlapping portion of the deck'plate 15b at which point the locking strip 250 is correctly positioned for overlapping of the next suceeding row of deck plates.

it will be noted that the deck plates 15 are of a length substantially equal to the space between two of the supporting purlins so that each of the deck plates is supported upon three adjacent purlins. By longitudinally staggering the deck plates the locking strips associated with the end portions of adjacent deck plates provide a hold-down action at intermediate points along the sides of the plates in the preceding row with the result that the overall sturdiness and strength of the structure is greatly increased. In this connection it will be understood that the deck plates 15 may be of still greater length and may be secured in staggered overlapping relation in the same manner as described above.

From the foregoing, it is evident that the present invention provides a sheet metal roof construction wherein roof deck plates, which are of small size and may be easily handled, shipped, and stored, are readily assembled in staggered overlapping relation without the use of conventional securing means by providing locking strips which are insertable within and slidable along top opening channels in spaced supporting purlins and which may be accurately positioned to secure the adjacent ends of the deck plates in staggered overlapping relation. Furthermore, by providing deck plates which are long enough to extend across several supporting purlins and staggering the plates longitudinally the plates are supported at intremediate points along the sides thereof as well as at the ends to give increased strength to the completed structure.

While a particular embodiment of the invention has been shown, it will be understood, of course, that the invention is not limited thereto since many modifications may be made and it is, therefore, contemplated by the appended claims to cover any such modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In a metal roof construction, a plurality of hollow elongated roof purlins supported in spaced parallel relation, each of said purlins having a longitudinally extending opening in the top wall thereof and inturned edges adjacent said opening, a plurality of corrugated sheet metal roof plates having a length substantially equal to twice the distance between said spaced roof purlins and positioned on the top walls of said purlins in staggered overlapping relation, and a plurality of elongated locking strips positioned within the top openings of said purlins between said roof plates and having a head portion engaging and holding down the ends of adjacent ones of said roof plates, said locking strips having upturned bottom edges in engagement with the inturned edges on said purlins to prevent said strips from being removed from the top openings of said purlins when said head portions are positioned over the adjacent ends of said roof plates while permitting sliding movement of said strips along said purlins to position the same between the adjacent ends of said roof plates.

2. In a metal roof deck construction, a plurality of hollow elongated roof purlins supported in spaced relationship, each of said purlins having a longitudinal opening in the top wall thereof and an inturned locking flange adjacent said opening, a plurality of corrugated sheet metal roof plates having a length at least as great as the spacing between alternate ones of said purlins and positi ned On the top walls of said purlins with the sides thereof in overlapping relation and the ends thereof in adjacent and staggered relation, and a plurality of elongated locking strips positioned between the adjacent ends of said roof plates, each of said strips having a substantially T-shaped cross-section and an upturned bottom edge insertable into the top opening of one of said purlins and engageable with the locking flange thereof for sliding movement along said flange to position the web portion of said locking strip between the ends of adjacent ones of said roof plates with the head portion thereof holding down the end portions of adjacent roof plates, said locking strip having a length not greater than the nonoverlapped Width of said roof plates, whereby said roof plates are secured to said purlins at the ends thereof and at spaced points along the sides thereof.

3. In a metal roof deck construction, a plurality of hollow elongated roof purlins supported in spaced relationship, each of said purlins having a longitudinal opening in the top Wall thereof and an inturned locking flange adjacent said opening, a plurality of corrugated sheet metal roof plates having a length at least as great as the spacing between alternate ones of said purlins and positioned on the top walls of said purlins with the sides thereof in overlapping relation and the ends thereof in adjacent and staggered relation, and a plurality of elongated locking strips positioned between the adjacent ends of said roof plates, each of said strips having a substantially T-shaped cross-section comprising a head portion and a web portion having an upturned bottom edge portion, said upturned edge portion being narrower than the top openings in said roof purlins and spaced from said head portion by an amount at least equal to the height of the inturned locking flanges of said purlins whereby each of said locking strips may be inserted into the top opening of one of said purlins from the top and hooked over the locking flange thereof and slid therealong to position the web portion of said locking strip between the ends of adjacent ones of said roof plates with the head portion thereof holding down the end portions of adjacent roof plates, each of said locking strips having a length not greater than the non-overlapped width of said roof plates, whereby said roof plates are secured to said purlins at the ends thereof and at spaced points along the sides thereof.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 928,092 Webster July 13, 1909 1,949,543 Loucks Mar. 6, 1934 2,211,384 Patterson Aug. 13, 1940 2,363,296 Cowin Nov. 21, 1944 2,412,404 Jackson Dec. 10, 1946 2,478,060 Spiess Aug. 2, 1949 2,590,687 Crafton Mar. 25, 1952 2,680,250 Kerby June 8, 1954 FOREIGN PATENTS 610,877 Great Britain Oct. 21, 1948 

